Toledo Makes History with Fourth Consecutive MAC Championship

Saturday, November 2

Muncie, Ind.

11:00 a.m.

University of Toledo

MAC Championships

Toledo Women's Cross Country won the MAC Championship for the fourth consecutive season on Saturday, the first time in program history the Rockets have won four consecutive league crowns.

Photo by: Christian Surtz

Toledo Makes History with Fourth Consecutive MAC Championship

11/2/2024 3:51:00 PM | Women's Cross Country

Final Results

Mercy Kinyanjui takes first as Rockets roll to fourth-straight league title for first time in school history

MUNCIE, Ind. – Redshirt freshman Mercy Kinyanjui captured a first place finish at the Mid-American Conference Women's Cross Country Championship in Muncie, Ind. on Saturday, helping lead Toledo to its fourth-consecutive league title.

This is the 10th MAC title for Toledo, tying Ohio for the most league crowns, and the first time that the Rockets have won four consecutive conference titles. Toledo is one of only four MAC schools (Ohio, EMU, BGSU) to win four or more consecutive championships.

Toledo dominated the race, capturing the five of the top 14 positions in the race for 32 points. Ohio was a distant second with 82 points.

Kinyanjui crossed the finish line with a final time of 20:13.91, the seventh time a Rocket has won the individual MAC championship and the first since 2021 when Joy Chirchir took the title.

Laura Nicholson followed right behind Kinyanjui in second place, securing a final time of 20:21.44. Lou Trois took fifth with a mark of 2:32.46 while Lianna Surtz (10th/20:51.31) and Melody Jebiwot (14^th/21:03.68) rounded out the scoring for UT.

Kinyanjui, Nicholson and Trois were named First Team All-MAC while Surtz and Jebiwot earned spots on the Second Team All-MAC list. Head Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough was named the MAC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season.

"We trained well and were well-prepared for today's race," said Grove-McDonough. "We put ourselves in really tough, elite races this year against some of the best competition in the country which really helped us be prepared for today. We had a rough year last year, so we wanted to show the conference, our supporters and ourselves that we are fully back with a dominant win.

"I really wanted this fourth consecutive win for our seniors and for the women that came in and believed in this program and what we could do as a team. I am so proud of them and the legacy they are leaving behind at Toledo."

UP NEXT
Toledo continues the championship portion of its season as the Rockets head to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional race hosted by Akron on Nov. 15.

2024 Mid-American Women's Cross Country Championship
Saturday, Nov. 2
Ball State Cross Country Course | Muncie, Ind.

Team Results
1. Toledo – 32
2. Ohio – 82
3. Eastern Michigan – 92
4. Bowling Green – 102
5. Central Michigan – 119
6. Western Michigan – 166
7. Ball State – 190
8. Akron – 198
9. Miami – 230
10. Buffalo – 256
11. Kent State – 363
12. Northern Illinois - 364

Toledo Individual Results
1. Mercy Kinyanjui – 20:13.91
2. Laura Nicholson – 20:21.44
5. Lou Trois – 20:32.46
10. Lianna Surtz – 20:51.31
14. Melody Jebiwot – 21:03.68
18. Morgan Hicks – 21:18.30
21. Emily Vining – 21:25.42
22. Alex Bauer – 21:26.49
23. Karina James – 21:29.87

2024 MAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year – Andrea Grove-McDonough, Toledo
2024 MAC Women's Freshman Runner of the Year – Lexi Panning, Bowling Green

First Team All-MAC
Mary Munga, Akron
Emily Paupore, Central Michigan
Natalie Newcombe, Central Michigan
Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan
Mercy Kinyanjui, Toledo
Laura Nicholson, Toledo
Lou Trois, Toledo

Second Team All-MAC
Kylee Cubbison, Bowling Green
Leila Boussedra, Ohio
Kelsi Harris, Ohio
Allie Martin, Ohio
Melody Jebiwot, Toledo
Lianna Surtz, Toledo
Lilly Zelasko, Western Michigan